With the progressively greater mobility and reliance on technology by people in today's society, it has become an increasingly important feature in any electronic device that it be both portable and versatile and connectable to a variety of wireless mobile devices.
The first step towards versatility was embodied in streamlined audio and video connectors, male and female, which permitted devices to communicate with each other regardless of the manufacturer. These devices still faced the burden of requiring wired connectors to be incorporated and included in the devices, which as technology has evolved, the designs and standards for these connectors have changed. Subsequently, the push towards wireless communication between devices sought to eliminate wires and permit devices to communicate at various distances through universal means such as Bluetooth.
Bluetooth is a preferred communication means for wireless designs because of its ability to operate with only minimal power input. Additionally, Bluetooth is not frequently interfered with by unwanted errant devices because it functions within a relatively confined area within which the devices a user frequently utilizes to communicate are already contained. With regard to audio speakers, Bluetooth technology is frequently incorporated into wireless headsets, such as single or dual speaker headphones, which are then able to communicate with a host device, such as a mobile phone, tablet, or personal computer. These Bluetooth headsets are commonly configured to both receive electrical signals which may then be converted into sound through the speakers, and to send signals to the host which may control the audio playback.
By isolating the sounds outside of the headphone attached to the seal created at the user's head and ears, certain headsets are capable of introducing equally opposite noises which effectively cancel out such ambient room noise thereby making it largely inaudible to the user. Headsets, however, incorporate several inherent pitfalls by design, including the fact that they must be worn by the specified user and that they may only be enjoyed by a single user at a time. Consequently, the benefits of such technology necessitate having separate devices for each desired user or else the remaining users will be unable to use the device concurrently.
There are several multi-speaker audio systems in the art which are able to be enjoyed by all users within an area, but they are typically wired and are without the same noise-canceling benefits found in headsets. These other systems are typically hard-wired to the host and are permanently or otherwise affixed in a stationary manner, such as in the wall, ceiling, or on a weighted stand. Due to these limitations, typical speaker systems are not easily portable for a user who desires to take them with him or her to use in a variety of settings in the same manner as headsets which are smaller and designed to be easily transported and connected. Portability for persons today requires that a device be capable of being disconnected, transported, reconnected, and used from setting to setting with little-added effort or time and without excessive burden. This is frequently embodied in a single, handheld device that does not require additional connectors or cables for typical use.